Heart Valve Disease Services

Located in the Meriter Heart Hospital, our experienced surgeons perform pre-scheduled heart valve surgeries. Heart valve surgery (such as mitral valve surgery and aortic valve surgery) is used to repair or replace diseased heart valves. Our surgeons have been recognized as the "Best in Madison" and distinguished by their peers as some of the "Best Cardiovascular Surgeons in the Nation."

Testing

• Echocardiogram - An ultrasound of heart structures, conducted through the chest wall or esophagus. For more information about this procedure, read our Echocardiography article.
• Heart Catheterization - A procedure in which a catheter is passed into the heart chambers and vessels to measure pressures, to determine if blockages exist in the coronary arteries, and to learn how effectively the heart pumps blood. For more information about this procedure, read our Cardiac Catheterization article.

Treatment

• Bentall Procedure - An ascending aortic aneurysm is an abnormal bulging or enlargement of part of the wall of the aorta, which is a very large artery that extends out of the top part of the heart. A Bentall procedure is a surgical procedure done to replace the aortic valve, aortic root and the entire ascending aorta with a Dacron® graft. The coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart, are implanted in the Dacron graft. For more information, read our Bentall Procedure article.
• Heart Valve Repair and Replacement - During heart valve surgery, one or more valves are repaired or replaced. Repair means that the valve is mended to help it work better. Replacement means the diseased valve is removed and a new valve is inserted in its place. For more information, read our Valve Repair Surgery and Valve Replacement Surgery articles. An animation on Valve Replacement is also available in our site.

Next: Adult Congenital Heart Defect Services

6/23/2008